*196 WHL graduates further playing career at U SPORTS level in Canada West, Ontario University Athletics or Atlantic University Sport

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that to date a total of 386 WHL graduate players have been awarded WHL Scholarships for the fall semester of the 2018-19 academic year. The 386 WHL Scholarships awarded represent the highest total for the fall academic session in WHL history, improving upon the mark of 364 set in the fall of 2017-18.

Administered by the WHL Office, WHL Scholarships are solely funded by the member Clubs of the WHL. This season, WHL Clubs will contribute in excess of $2.6 million to WHL graduates utilizing the WHL Scholarship. Over the past 10 years, WHL Clubs have awarded 3,458 WHL Scholarships, representing a contribution in excess of $20 million by WHL ownership to WHL graduates.

“The WHL and our Clubs are delighted to see a record number of our graduate players utilizing their WHL Scholarships to further their education at Canadian Universities and post-secondary institutions throughout North America,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “With the number of our graduates taking advantage of their WHL Scholarships increasing every year, it clearly demonstrates our WHL Club ownership are not only committed to providing our players with a world class hockey experience but also one of the most extensive educational programs in North America today.”

Every player who plays in the WHL is eligible to receive the WHL Scholarship. For every season a player plays in the WHL, they receive a guaranteed, full-year WHL Scholarship including tuition, textbooks and compulsory fees to a post-secondary institution of their choice. The WHL Scholarship is a fully-guaranteed academic scholarship with no requirement to play university hockey to qualify. The WHL graduate can apply the funding to any post-secondary or career-enhancing program of his choice, including trades schools or professional career training programs.

Fully funded by WHL member Clubs, all current WHL players are encouraged to enroll in post-secondary courses. This season, current players are taking post-secondary courses while playing in the WHL. The financial assistance received for post-secondary studies while playing does not impact on the WHL Scholarship benefits a WHL player is entitled to upon graduating from the League. The WHL and Athabasca University have partnered to offer, through an online distance education platform, fully-accredited university courses to any WHL player interested in further pursuing post-secondary studies while playing in the WHL.

This year, 242 of the 386 WHL Scholarship recipients are furthering their education at Universities in Western Canada, with 138 of those playing Canadian University hockey at the U SPORTS level in Canada West (CW) hockey league. In many cases, these student-athletes have combined their WHL Scholarship with additional financial assistance from Canada West Universities to receive the Western Canada Premier Hockey Scholarship.

The University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Sask.) leads all post-secondary institutions with 39 WHL graduates enrolled in full-time studies, while 32 former WHL players are registered at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alta.). The University of British Columbia (27), University of Calgary (23), University of Lethbridge (23), University of Regina (23), Mount Royal University (22) and University of Manitoba (20) also lead the way in WHL graduate enrolment.

WHL Scholarship recipients are enrolled this year as full-time students at 75 different post-secondary institutions throughout North America.

Alberta leads all western provinces, having produced 157 WHL graduates currently accessing their WHL Scholarship, followed by British Columbia (82), Saskatchewan (77) and Manitoba (38. A total of 29 U.S. players from are accessing their WHL Scholarship.

Among the 2018-19 WHL Scholarship recipients, 144 WHL graduates are enrolled at universities in Eastern Canada, Canadian colleges, trades or technical institutions, or attending post-secondary in the United States.

The number of WHL Scholarships awarded during the fall academic semester has continued to trend upwards for 10 consecutive years. During the fall academic semester for 2009-10, a total of 253 WHL Scholarships were awarded. With 386 WHL Scholarships awarded for the fall semester of the 2018-19 academic year, this represents an increase of 52.6 per cent in activations over the past 10 years.

CLICK HERE for a detailed list of all WHL Scholarship recipients for the 2018-19 fall semester.

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

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